Withdrawn
by ThatJeevasFanChick
Summary: Matt is brought into Roger's office and receives some unexpected news.


"Withdrawn"

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or its characters. The character(s) depicted belong to Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

A/N: This fan fiction is based on something that happened to me recently. It is my way of venting and accepting the consequences of my actions.

He looked at the paper as it was handed to him, but he could not believe what he was seeing: 'Formal Withdrawal From Wammy's House'. He'd been living and studying here for years; he'd followed most of the rules as best as he could and on top of that, he had a friend here who was ranked number 2 that he loved as a big brother, even though they were only weeks apart in age. Matt shifted his goggles down to cover his eyes to hide the tear that freed itself.  
"B-but why Roger? I've done everything I could. I followed most of the rules, I am never out past curfew and I turn my studies in on time. Why am I being discharged?"

The elderly man had rested his head on his hands and placed his elbows on the desk. Matt could see that this was a difficult thing for the elderly man, but managed to hold his composure despite this. Roger looks at the goggled teen and huffs out a sigh that hid away his inner distress.  
"Quite simply Matt, you've been slacking. How long this has been for, I cannot say. You've been very keen on covering your tracks and I can admit that you've done a good job, turning your work when you can, but you've become quite distracted and your marks are slipping. L has formally withdrawn you from the successorship as of last month. I would have told you, but I assumed that Mello might have told you."

Matt shook his head slowly before bowing his head. Mello had not mentioned anything about him being withdrawn. How could his marks have been slipping? He studied just as hard as any. Sure, he was not as keen as the rest of them when turning in his work, but he can say that he got his work done. It was hard to imagine that something like this could have happened to him. Why had Mello not told him? Wasn't he his best friend after all?

Roger made a humming sound.  
"I'm sorry then that I had to be the one to tell you. In fact, in the past 2 months, you've dropped from 3rd to 9th. L saw a pattern develop in the marks I sent to him and it occurred to him that a formal withdrawal from the institution was best. He's even made arrangements to send you to another boarding school as your intelligence is high enough that you can complete your studies there no problem."

Matt kept his head bowed low and slowly began to shake it side to side. He muttered, "No, it can't be," repeatedly, bringing his hands to hide his face and slowly rocking into himself. Roger saw that this was not what the goggled youth wanted to hear, seeing that he had activated his defense mechanism.  
"I am truly sorry Matt, but this decision was finalized as of yesterday."

Matt began to shudder and shake, rocking faster and shaking his head harder.  
"No… No… No! I don't want to leave! Please!" He let go of his head and looked up at his caretaker with goggled teary eyes.  
"Isn't there something you can do? I don't want to leave… I like it here… I'll have nobody… p-please…" He hugged himself and bowed his head, sniffling loudly.  
"I t-thought that M-Mello was my f-friend… H-he should h-have t-told me… I don't want to leave…"

Roger looked at him and frowned, feeling the beginnings of emotions he promised he would not allow himself to feel.  
"I'm sorry Matt, but there is nothing more I can do at this point. It is here that I must ask you to go to your room and begin to pack your things. I will assist you in this." Matt gave a hiccup and nodded his head, bowing it once more and keeping his gaze to the floor.

Roger led Matt out of the office and the pair took their time until they got to the shared dorm room where Matt began to sob softly. This was not fair to him. Everything he'd worked for and worked to achieve had gone up in flames. No more Wammy's, no more pranks and fun… no more Mello. Then again, what if Mello had purposely not told him about his withdrawal? Was Mello secretly just glad that he did not have him as competition? Was their friendship just a ruse for Mello to finally make a mockery of his own failure? The more he allowed himself to think on it, the more he began to believe his own thoughts and taint his ideas with his now so-called 'best friend'.

Roger noted a change in the goggled teen, his slow packing becoming more determined and even a little angry. Matt was the one who always showed the least emotion, more than Near, but less than the blonde that he'd been seeing tailing for years. He did not question the change, letting the goggled teen vent out his issues; he simply continued to help the teen pack his things.

When all Matt's possessions were set in Roger's office, the elderly man made a phone call, likely to the boarding school in mind. Matt did not let himself hear the conversation, using his Gameboy Advanced as a means to distract himself properly. He only glanced up at the brief mentioning of his name and paused his game.  
"They are ready to take you in right away. Would you like to say goodbye to Mello, or let me tell him for you?"

Matt shook his head and frowned, letting his glare go unseen to the older male.  
"He'll figure it out… I just want to get out of here…" Roger nodded before making one more phone call, this one not as long, to a trusted Wammy alum who had transported several withdrawn students to various educational facilities.

The wait was not long and the transfer of his possessions were done in silence. Matt remained quiet as he entered the vehicle and buckled himself in, ignoring the record player sympathetic comments that this Wammy alum probably replayed to the other kids. He simply scoffed and looked out the side window, seeing the scenery begin to change as he was driven to an unknown, but welcomed future.


End file.
